SHORTAGE OF MILK

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 154, 25 March 1939, Page 13

SHORTAGE OF MILK

Concern Of Chairman Of Farmers’ Company

WELLINGTON SUPPLY

Appeal To Farmers To Keep Up Production

Concern tor the adequate . supply of milk to the city of Wellington and to the schools was expressed last night by Mr. J. J- Maher, Mangaroa, chairman of the Wellington Dairy Farmers’ Co-operati-tive Association, Ltd. Mr. Maher said that unless rain fell within the next few weeks winter production would be seriously affected. His fellow directors and he were seized of the gravity of the situation ano were making every attempt, as principal suppliers to the city and schools, to meet it. The position had been put to farmer suppliers, who were already making sacrifices to maintain production.

He appealed to farmers to appreciate the seriousness of the situation and to do their utmost to maintain production, even at the sacrifice of unfinished pigs and other lines for which milk was being used. The serious effect ot drought conditions extending into the autumn and the result to early winter growth, with the consequent detrimental bearing on winter milk production, could not be underestimated. It was vital to maintain, in the face of sacrifice, the supply to the city and schools. By arrangement made witii the Minister of Internal Marketing, Mr. Nash, last month, the association was supplying milk to the schools at the figure of 1/51—the compounded basic price a pound of butterfat for butter and cheese—plus threepence a gallon added value. Farmers in the Kuku district, where the land was heavier and there had been rain, had already been sacrificing their unfinished pigs to make more milk available for the city supply, and the association was paying out an additional farthing a gallon on top of the price received for schools’ milk from the department in order to help compensate the farmers for their loss on pigs and to encourage them to maintain a liberal supply. The Wellington nearby farmers’ organization, whose members were ou windswept hili country round Wellington. were milking extra calls on the Wellington city municipal supply—as they were 'by special arrangement entitled to do in the circumstances—to the extent of 900 to 1000 gallops daily. The association was doing its best to ease Ibis strain on the city supply. “It is our moral obligation and duty to see that the city and schools are adequately supplied with milk,” concluded Mr. Maher. Milk Depot Position.

The general manager of the Wellington municipal milk department, Mr. R. E. Herron, said that, because of the drought, the department was having difficulty in obtaining supplies at present. So far it had been able to manage satisfactorily, however, and, if rain came, the supply during the winter would no doubt be all that was required.